I am in desperate need of a referral for a physician, clinic or hospital in the midwest to get a second opinion on my father's condition. He has emphysema compounded by a rare condition where the tissue around his lungs is also diseased. He cannot be administered oxygen and the problem is compouned in that he cannot exhale carbon dioxide. He gasps to breath and has a high heart rate even when sitting still. While he has had this chronic problem for a couple of years, it was recently exacerbated when he acquired a cold. Since then he's been in trouble. He spent 3 days in a hospital being administered Prednisone. They released him saying there was nothing more they could do. Can anyone refer me to a top medical expert to get a second opionion? We are optimistic that there is something more we can do to help. His loving family hates to see him suffering like he is.

The person you should talk to is your family doctor. They should have access to all sorts if information about lung surgeons and specialists. I think there are better doctors than the specialist you have used so far.

There are some interesting new technologies in developement for working with patients with lung problems. There's a surgery where they reduce the size of the patient's lung to make breathing easier by getting rid of the stiff area. There's another surgery, where they implant part of a lung from a cadaver rather than the whole lung. It's allot easier on the patient. There's also a new way to administer oxygen through a catheter inserted in the blood stream. To get new technologies, look into research programs at universities and such.

The first thing you should do is to ask your father what his preferences are. No matter what treatment he goes through, there's going to be pain and suffering. There's no guarantee that the extra time he might live because of a treatment, will be quality time. He has to understand that he also has the option of being given what is needed to make him comfortable until the end rather than go through more pain.

Thanks Robert. Your advice is most appreciated. My father's doctor says that operating is a bad idea as he has a weakened heart. I understand that Johns Hopkins is a good hospital for this sort of thing, but I am still hoping something more local to the Detroit area. Thanks so much for your response as it helps me a lot.

dr. joseph lynch at the university of michigan is world renowned. i would take him there

Try the National Jewish Hospital. They have a lung line, toll free, or you can E-mail your questions. It takes a long time to get an answer by E-mail, but they will answer. The telephone is answered by nurses. www.NationalJewish.org (http://www.NationalJewish.org)